Camera system for large vehicles
DCFirst Claim
1. A vehicle-borne camera observation system for monitoring areas adjacent a vehicle, the system comprising:
- a plurality of cameras positioned at the vehicle and operable to provide a predetermined field of view around the vehicle, including a first camera positioned to have a first field of view, and a second camera positioned to have a second field of view;
a system for illuminating at least one of the first and second fields of view around the vehicle providing a visible range light source; and
at least one monitor configured for displaying a plurality of views, positioned in a driver'"'"'s area of the vehicle and operable to display the fields of view of the plurality of cameras;
wherein the at least one monitor automatically switches between displaying of at least one of the first and second fields of view to another of the first and second fields of view based on operation of a control of the vehicle.
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Abstract
A vehicle-borne camera-based observation system for monitoring areas adjacent a vehicle or passenger vehicle, such as a bus or school bus, is disclosed, to provide safer operation for passersby, including for children, and driver convenience. The system includes several cameras, and several monitors in a driver'"'"'s area displaying all of the fields of view from the cameras, such that each monitor may be controllable to show either the field of view of a first camera or a the field of view of a second camera, according to a driver selection or according to an automatic selection. Night vision, automatic tracking, and illumination systems are also provided.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. A vehicle-borne camera observation system for monitoring areas adjacent a vehicle, the system comprising:
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a plurality of cameras positioned at the vehicle and operable to provide a predetermined field of view around the vehicle, including a first camera positioned to have a first field of view, and a second camera positioned to have a second field of view; a system for illuminating at least one of the first and second fields of view around the vehicle providing a visible range light source; and at least one monitor configured for displaying a plurality of views, positioned in a driver'"'"'s area of the vehicle and operable to display the fields of view of the plurality of cameras; wherein the at least one monitor automatically switches between displaying of at least one of the first and second fields of view to another of the first and second fields of view based on operation of a control of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A school bus-borne camera observation system for monitoring an area adjacent the school bus, the system comprising:
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a plurality of cameras positioned at the school bus and operable to provide a view of areas adjacent the school bus, including in front and along the sides thereof, including a first camera positioned to have a first field of view and a second camera positioned to have a second field of view; a system for illuminating the areas around the school bus providing a visible range light source to improve visibility of children moving around the school bus during periods of low visibility; and a plurality of monitors positioned in a driver'"'"'s area of the school bus and operable to display images provided by the plurality of cameras including a first monitor and a second monitor; wherein at least one of the first and second monitors automatically switches between displaying of at least one of the first and second fields of view to another of the first and second fields of view based on operation of a control of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A vehicle-borne camera observation system for monitoring areas adjacent a vehicle, the system comprising:
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a plurality of cameras comprising a forward view camera positioned to have a first field of view including an area in front of the vehicle, a right view camera positioned to have a second field of view including an area along a right side of the vehicle, a left view camera positioned to have a third field of view including an area along a left side of the vehicle, and a back view camera positioned to have a fourth field of view including an area behind the vehicle; a system for illuminating the areas around the vehicle providing a visible range light source; and a plurality of monitors positioned in a driver'"'"'s area and operable to display all of the fields of view from the plurality of cameras, the plurality of monitors including a first monitor operable to provide driver selection between displaying only the first field of view and the fourth field of view; and wherein the first monitor automatically switches between displaying the first field of view and the fourth field of view based on a driver operation of a control for moving the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification